


Winter Holidays

by Praeconfuzia



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: Avalanches, Bloody snow, Cold, Fluff, Freezing, GSG 9 (some only mentioned), Isolated, M/M, Spetsnaz (some only mentioned), at least a bit, dont hit your pet, every time my tags are very stupid, kapkan is a pro in winter sports, lets be honest snowboard equipment is way more friendly, lots of bickering, lots of snow, or animals in general, pools, so is finka, stupid ski equipment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23082403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Praeconfuzia/pseuds/Praeconfuzia
Summary: „Let’s go on holidays together“, they said.„It’ll be fun”, they said.„There’s risk of avalanches”, they said.
Relationships: Dominic "Bandit" Brunsmeier/Marius "Jäger" Streicher
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Winter Holidays

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kiki_92](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiki_92/gifts).



> Hey there, the slowest writer on earth is here! With my first work in English – oh my god – and since it’s not my first language, you have to blame kiki_92 for encouraging me to write it although I have the typical imperfect second speaker-English. But here is my try to practice it! So I hope it worked and now
> 
> Have fun with my hopefully not so pathetic effort.
> 
> Just fluff, no smut in here because for this I’m too shy.

In retrospect, Dom isn’t able to tell who got the great idea to go on holidays and take the entire rainbow team with them. Ok, maybe not the _entire_ team. And maybe it was on free will.

Usually Dom used to like winter sports. You don’t get the risk of a headache because of the unforgiving sun, to accidentally die of thirst by forget to drink or whatever that can happen in summer. And, of course, he always liked the calm that comes with the snow. A shiny white blanket, lying above all that takes all sounds and noises away.

After a particular run of seemingly never ending missions, Six allowed them a few days off. Of course not _all_ ops at the same time, but it was nice for all of them. Looks like the Germans and Russians have their free time simultaneous. Someone had the idea to celebrate their holidays together and take advantage of the slowly fading winter. Back then, Bandit remembered, for him too it was a great idea.

Not short after, the Spetsnaz and GSG9 part of rainbow made a family trip together and take the next flight to the Alps. Sadly there wasn’t enough time to get a flight to Russia and maybe the Urals or something, much to the Russians disappointment. So they went to Austria instead. For the following Bandit has to blame himself and Kapkan. After it was said that they will take a look at the slopes of a nearby ski resort, it was their idea to say that everybody should try to learn something new. It will keep them young and fresh in their minds. Or so they said. That means exactly any of them have to try to either learn _how to ski_ or _how to snowboard._ If you’re already able to do both then you’re a lucky bastard.

Dom feels the frown increase as he watches his newly received ski equipment with mild scepticism, burrowed from a shop near the hotel. He was once used to snowboard but that too was a good couple of years ago. He was happy when he was able to hold all of the equipment at the same time, without the ski sticks falling clattering to the ground, the ski knocking someone over or himself falling down because of the boots. When the time came to put it on he nearly broke his feet, just by getting in these bulky boots. It will be a challenge to stand upright in them.

»Are you comfortable?«

Bandit stops in his try to close the last buckle to glare up at Jäger standing in front of him, the best shit eating grin on his face. Only by seeing him, Bandit was able to tell, that he was already familiar with his own boots. His snowboard boots.

»Indeed, I am, thank you very much.« The unspoken _Fuck off_ ignored Jäger gladly, looking down at Bandits ski boots.

»They’re way too loose. Didn’t you hear the instructions the lady in the shop told us? Or did you forgot already about it?« Jäger crossed his arms, a reproachful tone in his voice. Bandit looked up at him, expression blank. He was there but his presence was only physical. His mind was somewhere else. The young woman in the shop, where they borrowed this whole stuff from, looked so small and fragile, that it confused Bandit all the more when he heard her accent. Even he as a German was not used to _this_ special way to speak, neither in German nor in English. Jäger sighed and if Bandit not already had felt like a child scolded by his mother, then now would be the moment. He watched Jäger kneel down in front of his boots, grabbing the left one to examine it.

»Are you in it yet or are you halfway stuck?«

»I’m in.«

Jäger nodded. »Stand up.« Bandit did so. Or at least he tried. It was like both his feet are put in plaster till up to the knees. He struggled to keep his balance and as Jäger held one hand out, he was fast to grab it.

A few seconds later when he was standing without swaying Marius untangled their fingers from each other and moved his attention back to Bandits feet.

»Stand still and tell me if it’s too tight.« A mumbling sound answered him and he takes it as affirmation. Again the struggling started and Bandit had to hold on to Jägers shoulders, not daring to look up and see if anyone of the others was this clingy with one of their teammates.

Jäger leant back, questioningly looking up at him and Bandit could already feel the numb sensation in his ankle. »Feet is fine but it’s too tight on the lower leg.«

Jäger shots him a long look. »It has to be fitting, remember? If you can wiggle around in it, it’s too loose and you will easier lose your balance.«

He refused to roll his eyes – be nice for one time – and simply answered, one eyebrow raised: »But surely it is too tight if it’s restricting the blood flow.«

Now Jäger _rolled his eyes_ , that bastard, and started fumbling at Bandits boots again. »Pussy.«

Now Bandits eyebrow raised even higher, greeted by the other one. »Didn’t you told me to say if it’s too tight?«

»I was skiing many times in my life before and therefore I fairly guess I can consider how tight I have to make these ones.«

» _Hä?_ So if you are that good with ski equipment, why where you asking for my statement then in the first place, master Streicher?« Bandits voice was dripping with sarcasm.

»Well, I wasn’t expecting that you will be so easily complain about simple ski boots. The kids over there are already ready to go and they were standing _behind_ us in the line for the ski lift.«

Bandits gaze flickered to the left, catched by the two 8-year-olds, whom handled their ski with ease. If you can say that about ski equipment.

»If that’s the case, I _know_ what the problem is!«, he called out, his face full of enlightenment, earning a startled look from Marius. »They weren’t hold up by someone, who thinks he can do it better than them.« With that Bandit pushed Jägers helmet down, even above his eyes, causing his goggles to go stuck somewhere over his nose, cancelling very effective Jägers scandalized expression that was growing on his face very greatly. The following stream of unintelligible angry Jäger noises ignored Bandit. He realized that after the second try he was fine with his left boot, so he closed the buckles on the right one on the same position and look, he was ready to go.

He strode over to Kapkan, who was already watching him amusedly. Bandit huffed annoyed. »That was a stupid idea«, he spat out, looking angry at his boots.

Kapkans amusement morphed into a grin. »No really, I like it.« He looked over Bandits shoulder. »I think you forgot your puppy over there.«

Dom followed his gaze and looked back at Jäger who still sat where Bandit had left him, perplexed and affronted. He _does_ look like a little puppy that’s being hit by his owner for the first time and can’t see the reason for it.

After helmet and goggles were pushed up and in place again, he stand up and walked past them, without throwing them a glance. Instead he grabbed his board and went to Finka, who was one of the few who had the free choice between ski or snowboard, besides Kapkan, IQ and surprisingly Tachanka. Looks like Jäger had decided he will take her as his teacher and will be happy to ignore the pranksters. Bandit put one hand on his chest, right above his heart and inhaled dramatically. Kapkan snorted amused.

Then they froze in their movements as they heard a sound. It was a bit away from them, but the kind of sound it was causing indicated that it has to be something big. It reminded Bandit of similar sounding things on the field and the first moment he could feel a chill down his spine.

»Avalanche.« Kapkan simply said while his eyes scanned their surrounding hills attentively. »Over there.« He nodded to a certain mountain next to them and following his gaze Bandit can see the masses of snow sliding down, barely stoppable.

»Whatever.« Kapkan looked back at the other and shrugged it off, walked past Bandit to pick his board up. Bandit did the same, stubbornly saying to himself that he will not be bothered neither by this powerful sound nor the avalanche himself. He grabbed his stuff and followed Kapkan to the others. Finka looked at them and started to speak when she had the attention she wanted.

»Alright folks, listen. The lady in the shop already told us about it but here’s the reminder again: There is a risk of avalanches on this mountain as well on the ones surrounding us. That means exactly: stay on the marked routes and keep you asses off of the closed ones. And no exploring of the forest off the tracks by your own not today and on no other day either. You understand me? Nice! Then let us have some fun!«, Finka chirped excited, clearly happy to be able to watch her colleagues failing miserably.

* * *

Then it started. Hours passed and Bandit was glad that he didn’t count the times he fell. He was sure it would be a three-digit number by now. IQ was a good teacher, really, but he doesn’t remember having that much struggle to keep his balance when he was standing on a snowboard for the first time. At least the snow was soft. The weather report says the temperatures will keep going on like this during the day, friendly 7°C. In the night it’s going to be cold and everything that’s melted over the day is freezing again and therefore the slopes have tricky ice fields. The sun was shining brightly so they don’t have to fear the cold.

The first two days went by in a similar manner, get up the hill, falling hundredth times, watching the others with a malicious amusement, maybe getting a few bruises here and there but in the end of the day Bandit was a bit better than in the morning.

The third day they took a break and just relaxed a bit, most of them in the hotel’s spa. It was snowing the whole day, first only slightly in the morning but it increased in the evening. After the dinner Kapkan and Glaz disappeared into the sauna facility and IQ dragged Blitz to get a massage since Monty wasn’t with them. Dom don’t know about the rest, but wasn’t very interested either. After the last two days he slept a bit better than normal, just out of exhaustion. He grabbed his stuff and went to the pools, he recognized they even had one outdoor.

Since it was the end of the season and no school holidays nearby it was nicely empty and now, 21:30 in the evening the pools are nearly abandoned. Except for one person as Bandit can see. Through the glass walls he can see Jäger sitting in the outside pool, watching the hills surrounding them, back turned towards Dom. Gladly the stairs leading into the pool were inside and that allowed him to get into the water silently. He dived under the curtain that separates the warm air from inside from the cold outside. He slowly made his way towards Jäger, just once have to come up and breathe some fresh air in. Like this he went unnoticed and ended up right behind Marius. He swiftly resurfaced and without letting him time to realize what’s happening, he grabbed his shoulders and pulled him backwards to himself. He fell against Bandits chest and Dom himself closed his arms properly around him and again he dived under water. Jäger let out a scream of surprise but that was quickly cut off by the water. He struggled against Bandits grip but it got a slightly bit less panicked when he noticed the familiar tattoos on the arms holding him in place. After a few seconds they resurfaced again, Bandit with a big shit-eating grin holding Jäger a bit longer to his chest, securing him while Marius coughed furiously.

He watched him, the few snowflakes that were sitting in his hair a few seconds ago were vanished into the water. Gladly the pool had a roof, which protected them from the majority of the snowing but a few stray snowflakes still made their way towards them.

»Fuck, Dom! What’s wrong with you?!«, Jäger angrily scowled at him when the coughing slowed down.

»You looked so _cute_ silently sitting here and watching the mountains that I just had to do it.« The sarcasm was strong in it but it was the kind of answer Jäger was expecting and so he just huffed frustrated and went silent. A few seconds passed while neither of them spoke, just listening to the lazy sounds of the water and watching the quiet mountains of the alps. The snow lying everywhere looked like it was shining, reflecting the calm light of the moon. It was nice.

»Uhm, Dom… You can let go of me now.« Jägers soft voice reached his ears but Bandit just grinned again.

»Ooh, are you embarrassed, little _Jägerchen?_ Calm down it’s just us two here.« Instead of letting him go he planted his chin on top of Jägers head.

»That’s not the point.«

»And what’s the point then?«

Jäger went silent but didn’t make any attempts to get out of Bandits arms. Dom watched the snowflakes land in the short light hair and he can feel how Jäger was trying to relax, if only a bit. When the first snowflakes didn’t melted away in Jägers hair and soft goose bumps started to appear on his skin, Bandit decided they were standing like this long enough and that it was now time to destroy the little bubble that was only filled with them and a nice silence.

»Are you freezing?«, asked Bandit absent-mindedly.

Even though Dom can’t see Jägers face, he turned it to the side, probably lightly flushed.

»No.«

»Nice! Then I think we should see to get changed soon, it’s going to get late.« Before Jäger can get any sort of reply out, he releases his arms around him only to swiftly lift him up in a fluid motion, causing Jäger to stammer very hard.

»W-wh-what the fuck are you doing?!« His voice had slipped an octave higher.

Bandit grinned and began to walk to the stairs leading out of the water. From there the way back inside the hall with the other pools was way longer than the way through the water. And way more cold, by now the temperature dropped to only -5°C. Jäger started to squirm in his grip, trying hard to get free the closer they get to the steps.

»Dom, I’m honest, put me down, please.« Bandit couldn’t help himself but grin only wider and tighten his grip a bit. When he stepped out of the water Jäger wrapped his arms around his neck, suddenly clinging tightly to him probably because of both, the freezing cold and the sudden loss of the water induced weightlessness.

Bandit takes some steps and then stopped a few meters away from the pool. Their warm skin now completely exposed to the cold air was steaming. He looked down at Jäger who returned his gaze really pissed.

»Nice prank. Now I’m freezing, can you put me down now?«

»Don’t be so mean, Mari«, Bandit scolded him with his special trouble promising smile. Jäger started shivering while he continued to glare at him. Then he twitched slightly, he tried to hide it somehow, looked away, but Bandit could feel how he tensed in his arms. He glanced to Jägers left hip, sees the scar peeking out under the waistband of his swim shorts. »You know, you just have to tell me, when you’re cold.«

Jäger looked up at him, his eyes going wide as he understands what Bandit was up to. He started babbling as Bandit starts to walk back to the pool, going to a spot where the water would be deep enough to cover them up to the chest while standing. »No no no no no no, don’t do it, it’s enough now, Dom NO!« His crying was abruptly shut off by the water, as Dom throws him into it. He quickly jumped after him but in a more graceful way. When Jägers head breaks the surface of the water Dom was still laughing his ass off.

Jäger says nothing, just sighed the heaviest sigh in history and turned away, swimming towards the entry to the warm inside. Bandit tried very hard to calm down and goes after him, eventually catching up with him and holding him back on his arm, trying to turn him toward him.

»Hey! Just wait a second.« His voice was almost soft and it softened even more with his next words. »Does it hurt?« Jäger looked away, pretending not to know what he means. »The scar.«

He hesitates with an answer and Bandit gives him the time he needs. »Sometimes.« He eventually said, still not looking at Bandit. »It stings when it is exposed to sudden great temperature differences.« Then he looked him straight in the eye. Bandit gets the obvious hint and says nothing, just kept eye contact with the pilot. Neither of them smiles, because there wasn’t a joke or anything funny. Then without a change in his expression Marius splashed two hands full of water in Dom’s face.

He just closes his eyes in time but didn’t make a move to avoid it. When he opens his eyes again a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. »I deserved it. I’m sorry.«

The tiny smile was mirrored by Jägers expression as he heard his words. »That’s right. You deserved it«, he said mockingly.

* * *

The next day they went out again. Dom could feel how his bruises are stinging less now after their day off, if only a bit. They already went a few times down the hill and even if Bandits body hurts now in different spots than the previous days and the exhaustion increased he was still somewhat motivated. He was getting better and better, managed it to widen the time without falling.

As promised the sun was shining constantly and it would become very warm when you didn’t get the chance to take a route through the forest and through some shadows. Some of the nearby routes are already closed, caused by the risk of avalanches. Indeed they heard this majestic sounds of them more often than the previous days. Or was it only because Dom payed more attention to it? The snow was getting heavy and sticky, apparently on the edge of melting but refuses to do so.

It was afternoon by now, nearly 16:00. They closed the routes at 17:00, so they didn’t have that much time left. Not quite a bad thing, Dom could feel how the exhaustion was now trying to make his movements slower and his body tired.

»What’s up, Mari.« The casual tone in his voice says that it wasn’t exactly a question. He throws him a glance, maybe unnoticed because of his mirroring goggles. Jäger was sitting at the side of the piste, trying to get his board free from the great amount of snow that buried it under it without taking one or even both his feet free.

»Stupid snow«, Jäger curses silently and digs furiously into the white. Dom knew this curve Jäger was currently stuck in the ditch beside the route was a bitchy spot, they all failed permanently at it the first few times.

»Can I help you?«, Bandit asks maliciously, greatly entertained.

Marius stops his efforts and glares at him. Dom could see it, even through his goggles. »No, please just fuck off.«

Bandit shrugs and continues grinning silently. Most of the others were already further down on the track, they were one of the last. He heard a sound and waits, watching the curve further up the track intently and not short after Finka appeared with more speed Bandit could even dream of to get on this holidays. As she sees them she slowed down, eventually coming to a halt in front of them.

»Everything alright, guys?«

»Couldn’t be better.« Bandit, king of stupid replies. Again the crunching sound was heard and Kapkan appeared not slower than Finka but he missed the right point to slow down, causing him to struggle and eventually lose his balance, crashing face first in the snow a few metres further down the track. Bandit watched him, the childish, malicious part of him lying on the ground because of laughing.

Kapkan groaned and rolls onto his back, mumbling something in Russian.

»I’m fine, just trying to get this stupid thing free of the snow.«

Finka nodded. »Don’t lose too much energy by trying it this way, better make go of the bindings so you have your feet free.«

Jäger sighed and hummed in agreement, originally too stubborn to do exactly that.

»Well, if everything else is okay, we’re waiting for you guys at the Valley Station. Keep the time in mind, they’re closing the tracks in nearly half an hour.« As if to prove her right, they heard a faint beeping further down the hill. The first slope crawlers make their way up the hill, starting to prepare the tracks for the next day. »Keep an eye on the snowcats and the cables of them, you know steel is stronger than you.« She smirked at them, while the kindly reminder. The steel cables the slope crawlers have to use in some points on the tracks can be hard to see, maybe covered by snow, spontaneously reappearing and tightly stretched when they pulled themselves up by it on the more steep parts of the slopes.

»We’ll keep it in mind«, Bandit says, because Jäger was too distracted with his board to answer.

Finka nodded and went to Kapkan, who was still on his ass waiting patiently. Dom went back to watching Jäger struggle, who have to admit his defeat now and make go of one of the bindings and started to make his way back up on the slope. Then all of a sudden something hit him on the head and he could feel the snow trickle between his neck and the jacket. He looked over his shoulder at Maxim who was looking right back.

»Be nice for one time in your stupid life, you moron«, he shouts at him and grins meaningful, mask pulled down. Bandit shows him his middle finger with the same grin on his face.

He watches them leave until they disappeared behind the next curve and they were all alone again.

»Dom.«

»Hm?«

»Why are you still here?«

»Why not?« He smirks. Jäger was now sitting on the slope again, with both his feet secured to the board again but didn’t stand up.

»I don’t want to be part of your personal amusement, so _piss_ the fuck _off.«_ He said it with as much emphasis as he can manage.

Bandit shrugs. Jäger needs a break, the repeated standing up again and again and again is exhausting, the most for the abs. Dom guessed he didn’t have the energy to get up right now and therefore needs a short break.

»Fine, we’re waiting at the Valley Station, make sure that you get there today.«

Then he started to make his way down the track. The late afternoon sun throws long shadows over the slope, letting the snow slowly freezing again. He reached the curve when he heard that majestic sound again, letting him stop. It sounds different than the previous times, much louder, a groan accompanied it and the mountain itself seemed to be trembling. He looked up and spotted it immediately and he nearly lost it. The avalanches he’s seen before didn’t looked so fast like the one currently running down the hill they were on.

He looked back at Jäger, shouts at him, sees how he was trying to get up, but didn’t make it. In a knee-jerk reaction Dom quickly opens his bindings, fails a few times at it and curses, then throws his sticks away and starts running. _There is an avalanche coming right at us._ The adrenaline lets him fly over the snow. He runs towards Jäger, even though he knew he wouldn’t make it. Letting go of his equipment was probably a stupid idea too, but he knew that he wasn’t able to escape the snow with his ski.

There were 50 metres between them, Bandit shouts something again, Jäger was looking at him, frozen in his spot. Dom can’t hear his own voice. He looked up again and he doesn’t sees the avalanche approaching, it was already there.

Dom feels like fainting, the white blocks his view towards Jäger. It blocks everything.

* * *

_Curl yourself up in a ball._

_Arms tightly against the chest._

_Put your hands over your mouth to save some space for air._

There wasn’t much that you can do to save yourself. When it’s not possible to escape the avalanche, most part of what you can do is hope to be lucky.

Next thing Dom sees is blackness. His body was freezing and he can’t quite move it but not only because of the cold. The snow was everywhere. He was unconscious some time, he was sure about that. The compressed snow around him feels like cement, every move hurts. After some minutes Dom started to check which part of his body was easiest to move, or moveable at all. He needed to do something, the air he managed to save for himself was getting more and more consumed, it smells stuffy and hardly provides enough oxygen by now. His legs and lower part of the body were completely unable to move but he managed it to wriggle his head and right hand a bit, it was a lengthy procedure but after time he got more and more space to move. Suddenly he felt a faint shift at the snow around his head, the movements become easier. He began to struggle furiously, probably wasting way too much energy in the process, but managed it to put his head back and felt the snow crumble, falling to the side and revealing a darkened sky, some trees and cold air.

Dom laid his head back and happily breathes the fresh air in. The bastards are always the ones with luck. He looked around but he recognized nothing of his surroundings. Clearly the avalanche created a shift in the appearance of this part of the mountain, but Dom was sure, that he was far away from any slopes. There were a few trees around him, the beginning of the forest covering more than 60 % of the mountain. Right in front of him was one massive tree too, probably the reason while he was stuck right here in this place. Thinking about it reminds his body of something and simultaneously his head and his shoulder started to hurt. He must be crashed into the tree, throwing against it by the avalanche. Luckily his head hurts only a bit, the most of the force covered by his helmet, but his left shoulder now hurts like a bitch.

With his right hand he digs in the snow to get his left one free. He then slowly moved his left arm, testing him. Moveable, but the pain increased with every effort he put on it. Well, then he have to go through it with clenched teeth.

He made a plan up in his head, forcing himself from one step to the next. He was exhausted, just wanted to rest, but he knew he can’t just lay there and wait for something to happen.

_First get your shoulders free._

He was breathing heavily and needed more and more breaks. It felt like hours passed when he was able to move his chest and breath properly again.

Caused by his curled up position – although nearly destroyed by the avalanche but still kinda remaining – getting the rest of his upper body free didn’t take much time as expected. Now the big quest was getting his legs and feet free. He was shivering and his vision became blurred repeatedly. He was sure it takes him more than an hour to get his body completely free off the snow. With his last energy he clumsily drags his second boot out of the snow, failing five times on the way to do so.

The he just sits there for minutes, don’t trusting his body enough to do something different. He takes a deep breath, trying to control his heartbeat, the shock finally settling in.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket but only finds it in pieces. The screen is completely cracked and it didn’t give any signs of life despite his dearest efforts. He usually kept his phone in the left pocket of his jacket, the side that hit the tree. He cursed in at least three different languages before he was able to calm down. He stuffed it back into his pocket and looked around. Again, he found nothing familiar. The sun was gone by now, the remaining light fading minutely. At least there was a good chance that there won’t be much deaths caused by the avalanche, since back then it was already late at day and they were mostly alone by then, even most of the others were further down the piste, probably already at the Valley Station when it happened. It was only he and-

Dom’s eyes widened and he nearly choked on the air in his lungs. Marius, he had to look for Jäger, where was he, was he nearby? Further down? Up the hill? Was he that lucky like Bandit and managed it to not get too much under the avalanche or is he now buried under it with metres of snow between him and the surface? Dominic felt his panic rising and a second adrenaline rush had him standing immediately. His legs are like jelly and his body weighs a tonne, nevertheless he starts searching. Jäger could be everywhere and mentioned that Bandit doesn’t even know how far away he himself was from the slope, it was hard to get a possible route from where Marius was hit by the avalanche to where he could be buried. Minutes felt like hours again, he could hear the clock ticking in his head, not nearly as fast as his heartbeat. How would he be able to find him? When Jäger was fully covered by the snow – what was very likely the case – he won’t be able to see him, there’s no evidence of him, Dom doesn’t have those sticks the mountain rescue with its volunteers get, to check if there’s someone buried and he doesn’t have the good nose of a dog nearby-

He stopped in his tracks, looking at the left side, where the avalanche starts to get flatter, the accumulated snow there wasn’t as deep as it was in the middle. Something was peeking out of the snow, not much, maybe only 10 centimetres in total but it’s bright, conspicuous colours let Dom’s heart miss a beat. He sprinted towards it, not caring about the snow, it’s instability and the possibility of a following avalanche. He falls onto his knees when he reached the board and grabbed it, but not surprisingly, it doesn’t move an inch so he digs in the snow covering it, shovelling it to the side. Like this more and more of Jägers board was revealed. Shortly afterwards his arms were on fire and felt like they were about to fall off but he keeps going, motivated be the simple fact that he found Marius’ board. When he reached the first binding and sees that it was empty his motivation drops. The second one was too, but he found the security rope, that usually connects the board with one of Jägers ankles. It led further in, deeper down under the snow. By now, Bandits fingers and hands were screaming for a break, on the edge of a cramp but he refused to stop digging into the snow.

He followed the rope while trying to remember how long it was, when he saw it the first time. It takes him way too long for Dominic’s liking, every minute was important but the further he got, the more solid the snow went but eventually he found the end of the rope, attached by a loop at a familiar looking black snowboard boot. He found out Jäger too was in a curled up position, but there was not much of the original position remaining, Bandit guessed it was ripped away by the snowboard pulling heavily at the rope while the avalanche and forces Jäger in a more straight position, therefore he wasn’t able to save as much air like Bandit did. When Marius realized he wasn’t able to escape with his snowboard he also seemed to have tried to let get free of his board, he managed it to let go of the bindings, but didn’t had enough time to make loose the security rope before the avalanche get to him. He did the exact same like Dom did.

Of course. He was the one, who told Bandit what to do in case of an avalanche.

»Marius?«, Bandit shouted, when he pulled Jägers left leg free, already trying to get to his upper body. One arm was hanging loosely, easy to pull out, compared to the rest. But there was no movement, no resistance to Bandits pulling or an answer to his shouting.

Again, he felt the adrenaline rushing through his body when he started to dig his aching hands in the heavy snow and only when his strength was already fading again, he reached Marius’ head. He wanted to pull him out of this prison immediately but was afraid to do so all of a sudden. What was when his spine got some damage and it will increase when Bandit starts pulling at him? First task he wanted to get was to at least free his face from any remaining snow. No resistance from Jäger while doing so. He pushed Jägers mask down to let him breath more easily, then he pushed his own down too and held his cheek directly in front of his face. But his own face was too cold and numb to register any possible small breaths, so he hurried to remove his goggles from his helmet and held them right above Jägers mouth and nose. And then he saw how the lens was fogging up and he felt like crying one second.

As careful as possible he hurried to pull Marius completely out of the snow. The right leg was the last one but he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the red on the snow. It was all around Jägers shin and when Bandit softly pulled at his trousers, he found a big cut from one side to the other. He looked back at the board lying only half a meter away and now he spotted the tiny dots littered on the sharp metal edge. Bandit cursed annoyed, how was he able to do something against it? Neither he nor Jäger had a first aid kit with them, of course not. He could feel the stress rose when he saw his bloody handprints on the snow and how Jäger's trousers are already soaked with it. He took one glove off and carefully searched with his fingers for something that he really didn’t want to feel. Bone or something. He accidentally digged into the cut, the sudden warmth burned his fingertips and Jägers winced unconsciously.

»I’m sorry, Mari.«

It looked like it was just a flesh wound, but still that’s bad. Not mentioned that he can’t do much to treat it in some way, he don’t have anything to keep it warm. Now with the restricted blood circulation the leg and foot will cool down even faster. He looked at his shaking hand, the weak moonlight made it look like it was covered in tar. He needs to calm down, no panicking. No one would be helped with it.

Ok. He had to do something against the cut.

Slowly he pulled Jägers leg out completely from the snow and laid it flat on top of it so he can examine it better. The fading light didn’t help him with it but he counts on the moonlight, last night it was really bright. He took off his second glove and opened his jacket a bit, ignored the cold that wiped away what little warmth he had left. He took off his scarf and tied it above the cut, as tight as it was possible for him. He really hoped they were found soon.

He grabbed his gloves, goggles and then lifted Jäger up by his shoulders and dragged him slowly to the nearest tree, his left shoulder screaming louder than it had done while digging into the snow. He clenched his teeth together until his jaw hurts and then just crashes heavy on the snow, his back falling against the tree. Carefully he drew Marius to himself, so that his upper body laid in his lap. He removed Jägers goggles, wanted to be able to immediately know when he woke up. He holds his own in front of his face again and watched the fog slowly appear on the lens. Did it slow down since he watched it not only five minutes ago or was it all in his head?

His gaze flickered to his leg and suddenly images flushed in his head. The first time when he _really_ feared they would lost him, a red infectious nightmare. He watched his pale skin, it looked almost white in the moonlight, except for his blue lips. He had to wake him up somehow. The whole ordeal of digging him out wasn’t enough to wake him, so Bandit went straight to the stronger stuff. He slapped him hard and while pain exploded in his hand, there was a second where he thought the sudden force on the cool skin managed to break it, but the blood was only from Bandits hand. He tortured the same area over and over but to no avail. Then he pinched Marius under the nose, very hard. It took at least half a second, but suddenly Jäger jolted awake, eyes wide and a shocked inhale on his lips. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes, caused by the strong pain. His panicked gaze went back and forth, confused, until it found Bandit and he glued his eyes on him. Bandit met his gaze as calm as it was possible for him. Jägers breath hitched, Dom could see the exact moment when his memories came back to him. His breathing was too fast, too flat.

»It’s okay, Mari. You’ve made it. It’s okay, it’s okay.« Jäger kept staring at him as if he was his life saving anchor and nodded hesitantly. He took Jäger’s hand with his own and removed the glove carefully, Jägers gaze went straight to his bloodied hand, but Dom ignored it for now. He covered Marius’ hand with his own in hope to protect it somewhat from the cold. He put it to his cheek, his breath ghosted over Jägers wrist.

»Take a deep breath with me, come on.« He inhaled deeply through his nose, the whole time keeping eye contact with Jäger. He did the same, holding his breath a few seconds and then slowly exhale through his mouth. They repeated it a few times and eventually Jäger calmed down.

Dominic helped Marius to put his glove back on.

»Dom.« Bandit sees how Marius tried to keep calm, but he knew what he was about to ask. He even wondered how he was able to calm down at all - even the tiny bit that he had managed -, his leg must hurt like hell. »What’s that blood?«

They both looked at his hands and Bandit cursed himself that he doesn’t have the presence of mind to prepare an answer of this inevitable question. He decided for the truth, lying wouldn’t help him.

»I suppose your board crashed against your shin and cut through your trousers and into the skin. The bone’s not broken but it’s bleeding. How is it feeling right now?«

»It’s freezing… and numb.«

»I’ve wrapped my scarf around it to stop the bleeding.« Jäger nods.

»I’m cold. And tired.«

»You have to stay awake, sleeping beauty.«

Marius smiled exhausted. »Even when I’m a mess you can’t stop your childish behaviour.«

»Be honest, you all love me for that.«

His smile widened. »Maybe.«

»Huh? _Maybe?_ Wait, I’m not prepared for love confessions right now.«

A laugh escaped Jägers lips. »Maybe that’s exactly why I’m doing it?«

»Fuck, you’re clever.«

»I know.«

Silence creeped in for a moment and while Jäger looked up to the sky, Bandit looked at his shaking hands. He should put his gloves back on.

»You know what?« Marius looked back at him again, while he grabbed the first glove. »I’m injured too. Who takes pity on me? I dug you _and_ me out. My whole body hurts.«

»Aww, poor Dominic. Much pity on you.«

»That doesn’t sound very honest.«

»Well, it wasn’t.«

Bandit takes a shocked inhale.

»Did you want pity?«

»No.«

»See?«

A smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. »Yeah, I see.«

Then a thought hit him. »What’s with your phone?«

»It’s in the hotel, I was scared that I will fall and crash it.«

»Oh.«

The lack of a stupid remark got Jägers attention. »What’s with your own?«

Bandit looked away, internally facepalming. »The avalanche threw me against a tree and there it was destroyed in the process.«

»Oh.«

»Yeah.«

»You’re alright?« Jäger scanned his being of any visible injuries.

»Yeah, I’m fine.«

Then silence returned and Dominic was trying to hear something, some shouting from further down, dog barking or maybe some lights shining through the forest up the hill. While they kept themselves still like this he notes how Jäger was slightly shivering. If possible his lips took on an even darker shade of blue, even purple by now.

»How’re you feeling?«

It takes a few seconds for him to answer. »Still.. cold and… very tired.« Bandit looks at his dazed eyes, Marius had struggle to keep them open. He slaps him lightly on the cheek again.

»Come on, Jägerchen. You will catch a cold, when you sleep here.«

There’s a soft smile on his lips, when Marius looked at him. »You are the only one who calls me that.«

»Should I stop it?«

»No.«

»I will, when you fall asleep.«

»That’s not fair«, Jäger mumbled.

»Of course it is.«

Jäger groaned lazily and tried to snuggle closer, pulled his mask a bit higher over his face again. Bandit pulled him in even closer, held him tight against his chest.

He let his mind wander. »Maybe it was a stupid decision to just sit here with you. They have no clue where we are. Should I have gone looking for help instead of sitting uselessly on my ass?« It was more a question to himself, but it was Jäger who answered him.

»No, it was good to stay with me. I don’t know what I would have done if I woke up and nobody was there. If I had woken up at all and not just suffocated under the snow.«

He just nodded. Minutes passed and Bandit glued his eyes to the moon, trying to ignore the freezing and just concentrate on Jägers light breaths and the nice sky. He tried to concentrate enough to get every slight sound, every hint that the rescue was near but he doesn’t have enough energy left for it. He was shivering, even though it slowed down somewhat, his shoulder kept crying, increased by the overexertion and he can’t feel both his hands. He has never been so cold in his life before.

He pulled Jäger up a bit and leaned down, puts his head on Jägers chest. He felt how Marius grabbed one of his hands. It was weak, Dom almost didn’t felt it through both of their gloves. He glanced down to Jägers leg, saw his blood soaked scarf, the shiny trousers and the little spot of blood soaked snow under it.

»Mari.« He waited but he didn't get a response.

»Hey, Jägerchen.« Just now he realized how exhausted his voice sounds. »Answer me, Marius.«

It was so easy for him to close his eyes for just one second.

* * *

Kapkan found them. Of course he was one of the volunteers who searched for them. He calls out to the nearest guy, one from the mountain rescue, while he himself was already on his way to them.

Neither of them moved while he approached them and when he saw the blood a chill goes down his spine. He knelt beside them and takes a quick glance to examine them. The blood comes from Jägers lower leg, no other injuries visible. Jäger seemed to be unconscious, but Dominic slowly rose his head after a few seconds when he heard Maxim knelt down next to them.

»It’s over, we’ve got you.« He says it, while he pulled a small package out of a backpack he was carrying and rips it open, reveals something gold/silvery shining. He unfolds it several times and then spreads it over them both, tucks them in. It was one of these plastic films with one silver and one gold side, that you can see at victims rescued from a fire or from freezing to death. He didn’t remember the name of it. Then he saw more movement in the corner of his eyes, saw more people climbing down the hill, some of them with the familiar bright uniforms of a paramedic. And only now his mind gets it, help is coming, they’re in good hands now. He doesn’t have to stay on guard any longer.

His vision got blurry and he felt his head falling to the side.

* * *

»Look at this lucky bastard.« The owner of this voice realized that he was awake faster than Dominic himself. He forces his eyes open completely and blinks a few times, trying to focus. Kapkan sits on his left side, while Blitz is on the other, a relieved smile over his whole face. Movement in his peripheral vision told him, that there were even more and looking to the left, he discovered that there was a second bed beside his one, with IQ and Glaz beside it. Marius was still asleep on this one.

»You’re in hospital«, Elias says helpfully.

»So we didn’t die.«

A snort answered him. He looked at Jäger, at the IV and the other cables attached to him, leading to a monitor that shows his vitals, but the numbers and curves told him nothing.

»How’s he doing?«

»Fine, considering the circumstances. He’s had a transfusion and they had to stitch up his leg. Minor frostbite symptoms, but otherwise he’s okay«, IQ told him. He nodded. He wanted to move his left arm, but wasn’t able to do so. He looked down at it and saw that it was in a sling.

»You yourself«, Blitz continued »have a bruised shoulder, minor frostbite symptoms and you’ve slept for solid nine hours out of exhaustion.« Not bad.

He looked around, glanced at the many eyes watching him. »Where’s the lord and sergeant teamkill?«

Glaz throws his rubber at him and only now Bandit realized that he must have been drawing all the time until Bandit woke up.

»Ouch, now I’m injured.«

»They told us 6 visitors for two people are too much and Sasha couldn’t just sit his ass flat and wait, so he and Shuh continued to help in the search for more buried people. But we have the order to text him, when one of you guys wakes up.« He waved with his phone and smiled lightly.

* * *

Later that day, when they where gone to get some dinner and left him in some peace, quiet and with his own half finished meal, Jäger stirred beside him. Dom watches him how he slowly opened his eyes, first disorientated but then his memories came back at him again and his eyes found Bandit.

»Jo«, was all he said. »Want some...« He looks on his plate in search for something interesting. »bread?«

Jäger pulled a face and shook his head in disgust. »No thanks.«

»Moni and the guys will come back later, they’re out now to grab some food.« Jäger nods.

One moment they just stared at each other, then a grin forms on Dom’s lips. »Well, that was one hell of a holiday.«

Jäger started to laugh, but looks at him again, when Bandit tries to get up from his bed.

»What’s the matter, Dom?«

Bandit looks at him, his gaze flickered to the digital clock on the wall, he didn’t missed the date that was showed there.

»Tell me again, what was it with that love confession back then on the hill?« He grins smugly, watching Jäger avoid his gaze and his ears turn red.

»Just some nonsense, nothing important.«

»Oh, how bad. Okay, I understand that.«

Marius’ eyes practically fly to him and Dom grins even wider. He stands up, has to look out for his own IV and cables but managed it to get to Jägers bedside. The pilot looked up at him with wide eyes like a deer caught in headlights. He had to support himself with one hand next to Marius’ head when he leaned down. Bandit watches his face intently, every slight movement, his somewhat innocent, naive eyes. It looks like he was frozen, like someone shut him down. Complete crash.

Then their lips touched and Dom would’ve liked to steal a glance at Jägers monitor to see his heart rate, but on the other side it was too nice to just stand there, stay how he was. He watched him with half lidded eyes. Jäger had his eyes closed but his face looked calm, relieved in some way. Dom cupped his cheek with one hand, swiping a stray tear away with his thumb and smiled. Marius laid one hand over his own and intertwined their fingers. Dominic backed away, but only a few centimetres. They looked at each other, both grinning like they where high. Then one of them started laughing and the other happily cheered in.

»Happy Birthday, Marius«, he says to him in a soft voice.

His Jägerchen.

**Author's Note:**

> As a German it was a challenge to write this fic, not only because it is in a foreign language but because in German you put commas everywhere. I don’t want to know how many of them I have removed while beta reading and I’m sure there are still too much remaining.  
> Also let me say I really like the Austrian accent, don’t get me wrong. It sounds funny sometimes and if you are not used to it, even as a German you have to struggle to understand them and you have not a chance if they don’t want you too. But I guess that will barely happen since the Austrians are really nice and relaxed people. 
> 
> For the ones not used to the metric system, here’s the translation, my sweets:
> 
> 7°C = 44,6°F  
> -5°C = 23°F
> 
> Now the last thing for me to say is: Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag, lieber Marius! Alles Gute!


End file.
